MarTech Outlook: Specials Magazine

Few marketing leaders have navigated as many industries as Ann McGlinchey. From enterprise software to retail and publishing, each role has reinforced her belief that strong marketing begins with understanding people. Today, as Vice President of Customer Experience Management at CMI Media Group, she helps clients create stronger connections with their audiences while driving measurable business outcomes. The Power of Organizational Alignment Leadership, for me, is fundamentally about people. I believe leadership begins with helping people succeed. My approach has always been centered on supporting individuals in achieving their goals, because when people succeed in their roles, teams perform better. When teams perform better, organizations are naturally positioned to achieve stronger outcomes. Creating an environment where people can grow, contribute and succeed remains one of the most important responsibilities of a leader. Another principle that has shaped my leadership approach is relevance. Whether working with clients or audiences, it is important to understand their needs and anticipate challenges. Strong customer experiences come from meeting expectations and delivering value at every stage of the journey. This is why I place significant emphasis on alignment. Strategy, creativity, data and operations must seamlessly work together. I often describe this through the framework of people, process and technology. If one of these elements is out of alignment, the entire system becomes less effective. Much like a three-legged stool, stability depends on every component working together.

Chris Rule serves as Vice President of Customer Experience at Turno, where he leads customer success and operations teams. He focuses on anticipating customer needs, scaling service delivery and strengthening customer relationships across the organization. Rule drives initiatives that improve customer engagement while supporting sustainable business growth. Building Customer Experience on a Foundation of Hospitality My career began in hospitality at 18. After earning a degree in hospitality management, I spent the next decade working in hotels and restaurants where every interaction demanded attention to detail, thoughtful communication and the ability to anticipate guest needs before concerns surfaced. Those experiences shaped my understanding of service and continue to guide every customer experience decision I make today. Moving into technology at OpenTable made me realize how software could strengthen relationships rather than replace them. During nearly a decade there, I helped build the customer success and account management functions while learning that technology works best when it supports great service. Another six years spent scaling post-sale operations reinforced the same mindset across different industries and stages of growth. Joining Turno naturally brought those experiences together. Short-term rentals depend on exceptional service for both hosts and cleaners, making hospitality central to every interaction. The hospitality perspective continues to shape how we structure, scale, and measure customer experience across the business. Using Technology to Create More Human Connections Many organizations frame operational efficiency and customer experience as a trade-off. I don’t see them that way. Investing in efficiency gives our team more time to strengthen customer relationships rather than simply handle more work.